"Some Weasley Wizarding products would certainly be involved," she muttered to herself with a laugh. It had been a while since she had thought of those boys with happiness instead of sadness. Her smile remained even if a small tear escaped her eyelids as she remembered her boys.
The clearing Luna picked out for their star gazing and feces-collecting was accessible only through a hike starting at the Wizarding NYC. Therefore, that Saturday Luna and Hermione set out in the rose-tinted dusk towards an area where Luna knew there would be moon-calves that night. Their wands emitted lights that mimicked that of a firefly. Luna said they were less likely to scare any creatures away than a normal 'Lumos.'
"Couldn't they have set at least an apparition point out in the middle of the woods instead of warding the whole area?" Hermione asked.
"This way the moon calves and other creatures are less likely to be disturbed," Luna answered as she avoided a bigger rock in her path.
"But what about you and Rolf? Isn't it time consuming to walk all the way out here on foot?"
Luna sent Hermione a half smile. "We fly."
"On brooms. I forgot that not everyone is sensible enough to avoid those things."
Luna laughed lightly. "I won't think poorly of you because your fear of heights prevents you from using a common magical item."
Hermione raised an eyebrow. "Right." She had become mostly adept at ignoring things like this from Luna. "When is Rolf coming?"
"Oh, he has something to clear up about unicorn exports that required an international portkey."
"Why didn't you go with him? You seem to always be gone for something or other when I'm home." Hermione didn't quite resist the pout when she complained to her friend. "Why are you gone so often? I didn't think you would want to be gone so long for a job?"
"I decided you needed someone to come with you." Luna said, only answering the first question. "I told Rolf you had to walk out because of your fear of heights and he could catch up by the time we got to the clearing." Luna flicked her wand and several firefly-lights flitted about before skimming along the ground to highlight the uneven surfaces.
"Don't you want to be home sometimes?"
"Why, do you need me home?"
"I need a practice partner really badly. I'm going to fail if I don't figure out this set of spells."
"What about your study group?"
"They're not my-" Hermione thought better of trying to correct a nuance and continued. "They are either paired up or busy and the only one left is Malfoy."
"I heard him complaining about his schoolwork too yesterday. Wouldn't it be better if you worked together?"
"That better be a joke."
Luna merely gave her another lazy smile. Hermione scowled and conjured more fireflies.
"Not too many," Luna warned. "We don't want it to look unnatural."
They continued on in silence for awhile, the cool air whispering through the trees. Instead of being able to enjoy it, Hermione was only on edge. Frustrated, she shook her head. Out loud she asked, "So what do you both need moon-calf patties for?"
Luna answered, "Growing the dittany, remember? All of the shops are infested with blibbering humdingers."
"And the dittany?"
"To restock our essence of dittany. I've needed to use it more often because of the Pisky."
"You might not be able to restock it very quickly..."
The conversation dissolved into the technicalities of growing dittany and potion making for a period of time. Then the rushing in the winds changed pitch behind them and Hermione cut the conversation short and spun with her wand ready to confront whoever was behind them. Rolf pulled up short and smoothed his hair as he watched Hermione's wand.
"Aren't I expected?" He asked.
"Not on a broom and why is it so noisy?" Hermione grumbled to cover her still racing pulse.
"It's an older model. It's not built for speed, but it's a sturdy model. I know it won't fail me on a long ride." Rolf glided to the ground and displayed his broom with pride. The bristles splayed out but the handle itself was thick and solid. It wasn't sleek and shiny like the ones that Harry and Ron drooled over, but Hermione felt that if she had to trust her life to a broom she would much rather ride this one.
Rolf nodded to Hermione but his eyes were for Luna. Luna's hands swished her skirts around her ankles and she smiled her not-quite-smile and waited for him to come to her.
"How did the unicorn exports go?" she asked.
"The Australians didn't realize that for me it was several hours after working hours instead of an hour before lunch," he grumbled.
Hermione hung behind and let their quiet chatter wash over her and ease her anxiety. When they came upon the clearing they were met by a beautiful view. The leaves had started to change colors and in the tinted light of sunset their yellows, pinks, and orangey-reds were still visible clustered between the trees and brush. The ground was covered in swaying yellow wildflowers. It should have been peaceful, Hermione knew.
"The department approved magic use that doesn't disturb the natural environment," Luna commented as she tapped Hermione's shoulder.
"What?" Hermione asked.
"You can set up detection or protection spells. That is why your wand hand keeps twitching, isn't it?"
Hermione offered a pained smile. "That obvious?" She trudged off at a half jog to finish securing the perimeter before it became completely dark. As she set up the familiar spells she constantly was glancing over her shoulder or out into the gloom to make sure there really wasn't anyone else there. She hadn't gotten used to the sounds of the forests enough again to be sure a leaf falling or a small animal wasn't actually a foot step. As she finished, her breath was slightly elevated, and when Luna addressed her, Hermione jumped.
"Hermione?"
"Yes, finished."
"Hermione? I thought going outdoors would chase away some of your wrackspurts, but they only have seemed to increase…"
"No," Hermione interrupted. "It's fine. I'm fine. We'll just find these… feces. They are important for growing your dittany, aren't they? Don't worry about it, Luna, I'll be fine."
Luna pulled in her bottom lip and nodded.
Hermione set off on a purposeful stride away from the others and didn't look back to see what they ended up doing. The clearing itself was about a half kilometer in length, and by the time she reached the other end, Hermione could barely hear Luna and Rolf. At first, she tried a systematic approach of combing the grass in straight lines. However, upon finding the first couple in slightly more trampled areas, Hermione realized that it would be better to follow the designs made by the mooncalves. Shaking her head at not realizing this earlier, she began following the patterns. As she began to find less and less patties, her mind was allowed to wander more frequently to the darkness just beyond the wildflowers. The thought of what lay beyond pushed her hunt further towards the middle of the clearing, into the full moonlight. Finally, when she could find no more and had filled the bag she had brought, she collapsed onto the ground and curled up into a ball to protect against all the dangers her mind was making up. Her breathing had become more shallow and fast. Flashes of memories started running through her head: Ron leaving her and Harry, the snatchers surrounding the tent, Ron bleeding out on the forest floor, and the images continued. Her rocking intensified as she tried to block it out. Suddenly, something brushed her shoulder.
Hermione was on her feet and had twisted to face her attacker with her wand out before she had registered anything else. Instead, Luna stood with her hand slightly outreached and Rolf standing behind her.
"Luna?" Hermione panted.
"Yes, I was going to tell you we were done as well. Hermione are you-"
"Don't," Hermione interrupted, "ask me that."
"You are crying," Luna said instead, pointing to her face to indicate where the tears were on Hermione's face.
"Oh." Hermione rubbed her face with the sweater she was wearing and tried to calm down her breathing.
"Ms. Hermione, what is the matter?" Rolf asked as he took a step forward.
Hermione flinched.
"The war," Luna explained. "Hermione has been very affected by the war."
Rolf looked to Hermione. Hermione nodded without meeting their eyes, feeling irritated about the whole thing. "Being out here… in the dark and... with it so quiet… it just makes my hair stand on end. I'm waiting for it to… start again," Hermione muttered between breaths.
"I can take you back on my broom," Rolf offered.
Hermione took a step backwards.
"Rolf," Luna chided. "Heights terrify Hermione."
"Oh, that's right. You told me that earlier. Hmm…" Rolf adjusted his glasses as he thought. "We could fly really close to the ground." He demonstrated with his hand.
Hermione considered. "What about Luna? Can all three of us fit on that broom?"
"Of course we can, we're all friends aren't we?" Luna cut in.
"Luna… I don't see how being friends-" Hermione started.
"Come, we can at least try," Rolf said instead.
With Luna snuggled up behind Rolf there was indeed enough room for Hermione. She looked at the intimacy of her friends' position and decided to slip onto the broom facing backwards. Her back pressed up against Luna's and Hermione's legs hung on either side of the broom bristles.
"Ready," Hermione called. "Remember, stay VERY low to the ground."
Rolf made a noise of agreement and pushed off. Luna giggled and Hermione felt Luna lean away from Hermione. Losing her firm back, Hermione automatically gripped the bristles in a death grip.
"No leaning or that will interfere with the steering!" Rolf yelled over the wind.
"I know!" Hermione managed although her heart was beating so quickly she felt like it was going to stop her breathing. They had picked up to a rather fast pace and Hermione watched the ground buzz past her feet alarmingly. Dizziness and nausea fought each other and she had to tear her eyes up to look at the fast diminishing moonlit clearing.
This isn't any worse than riding on a motorcycle, she tried to reassure herself. Then her mind brought up all that statistics of how many people die riding motorcycles. If it didn't require her to relinquish grip of one of her hands on the broom, she would have transfigured a helmet. However, it did require that, so Hermione held on to the broom and stared grimly at the trees silhouetted against the stars. It would have been a beautiful view, free of much of light pollution of the big city, if Hermione's brain hadn't been occupied with other things. After a bit, Hermione had a feeling that she had gained some height. Looking down, it appeared they were almost a meter above the ground.
"ROLF," Hermione managed in a terrified half-scream. "If you bring it any higher I will JUMP OFF!"
"Huh? Oh, apologies." Rolf brought the broom down so that their feet were again barely above the ground.
Hermione could barely feel her hands anymore, between the cold and her tight grip. The trip was taking too long, and she thought she might be becoming light headed due to not breathing properly and not just fright.
Breathe, breathe, breathe! she chanted at herself. If you fell off, the worse that could happen is a couple broken bones, she reasoned. Or smash your head and become brain-dead for the rest of your life, the other part of her brain responded. Oh, shut up! Shut up, shut up, shut up!
If anything, they were going faster now. She was sure she was going to loose her grip. Her arms shook from nerves and exhaustion at being tense for so long. She was close to telling them to stop many times, but the thought of having them use a Levicorpus on her in order to carry her back was humiliating enough to stop her tongue.
"Hermione. Hermione! We've stopped," Luna called.
Hermione peeked an eye open and glanced down at the, indeed still, ground.
"Oh," Hermione replied. All of her muscles felt weak at that point. She considered how to get off without falling on her face. Stabbing one toe into the ground, she swung around the other leg and fell heavily against the broom.
"Hermione?" Rolf asked.
"I'm never getting on a broom again," Hermione addressed the ground as she wait for her muscles to stop jumping and actually take her weight.
The other two laughed as if she made a joke.
Eventually, they all made it to the apparation point and made a side-along apparition to Rolf's house. He actually had a yard and so had an unwarded spot that the Muggles couldn't see. Hermione flooed home first and let Luna say her goodbyes alone.
Once home, her body wouldn't let her do anything but lie in bed, but her mind supplied horrible memories one after another. It took Hermione a long time to fall asleep that night. And an unhealthy amount of potions.
A loud noise woke Hermione from her sleep later that night. She was immediately crouched in her bed with her wand held defensively. Seeing nothing, she relaxed a little and was trying to figure if it had only been in her head when the sound came again. Hermione started, then realized what it was. The telephone. Hermione frowned at her clock and then padded out to the phone on the wall.
"Hello?" she croaked.
"Hermione? Is that you?"
"Harry?"
"Yes, unless you have other male callers you haven't mentioned?"
"Harry!"
"Listen, can you talk?"
"Harry James Potter! What in Merlin's pants are you doing calling me at five o'clock in the morning on a Sunday!?"
Sorry it has been so long since my last update! Between my fluctuating mental health, holidays, moving soon, and starting clinicals again I can't really make any promises about how soon my next update will be but I *do* plan on finishing this. Enjoy your holidays, guys!